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Blog 168 – For the Love of October

October 11, 2024

Quote- “Every leaf speaks bliss to me fluttering from the autumn tree”- Emily Brontё

October is the time of year when autumn, really is majestically alive. The days have that crisp embrace when leaving the house and the colourful array of wool scarfs make an appearance for the next six months. As a young writer, I find such a wealth to write about. While sitting in the library working on assignments, it is uplifting to see the extraordinary colours of the leaves on the trees. They are burning in the deepest reds, oranges and yellows. All such passionate colours to ignite the soul’s thoughts.

The quote for this month is both apt for its links to autumn and one of my favourite authors. Emily Brontё describes the “bliss” of each leaf falling. They all have such varied journeys. Some glide ever so gently to earth, others are violently torn off the tree in strong winds. All create a lovely carpet of bright colour. Brontё was writing on the Yorkshire moors in the 1830/40s, where the landscape would have given ample inspiration to write. I am currently looking at Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontё for my dissertation. When reading the novels of the sisters, it is easy to imagine the landscape they would have known.

The beauty in autumn is its timelessness. The way the rituals of leaves changing colour, days shortening in length and first frosts appearing, are the same today as in Bronte’s time, is comforting.

Brontё describes the “fluttering” of each leaf and how it speaks to her. This calm act of the leaf falling inspires us to feel, her enjoyment of experiencing autumn. Leaves are symbolic of the life blood in nature and the regeneration process that occurs each year. People sometimes use leaves to create arts/crafts and remember loved ones on wooden leaves. The way Brontё has this interconnectedness to nature in her writing, shows its influence on her. The value of living in rural Yorkshire would have been the close proximity to nature. Also trees provide oxygen and a purity of air in the countryside.

I love many of the Brontё’s quotes and find they provide a good starting point for writing. The way they wrote for every season, is significant of their appreciation of all times of year. It can feel poignant in autumn to feel that the days are shortening and winter is approaching. However, there is so much to love about autumn. A walk on a crisp autumn day is both refreshing and a way to see nature changing sets from summer to winter! As a writer, it is both important to take regular walks away from my desk but also good material to see the landscape and nature.

This month, I invite you to take time to think of how beautiful autumn is and how the leaves “speak bliss” to us, just as they did for Brontё. After all, we should take a leaf out of her book! My next blog will be my first book review, of an incredible book that is new out and that I read in three days.! Till next time!

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